WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will replace the “My Pyramid” guidelines for healthy eating with a new program featuring a four-colored plate symbol, according to reports over the weekend.
The new program, to be unveiled June 2, will stress eating smaller portions, eating more fruits and vegetables, reducing sodium, and drinking low-fat milk, the reports said.
“We need to get consumers’ attention,” Robert C. Post, deputy director at the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, said in a New York Times article on Saturday.
In an article on WebMD, Post was quoted as saying that there will be a “monumental effort” to promote the program across multiple government agencies and the private sector, including supermarkets and restaurants. First Lady Michelle Obama will also tie the new program’s messages into her “Let’s Move” campaign promoting exercise and health.
A spokesperson for the USDA could not be reached for comment.
Elements of the new initiative will be rolled out in phases, beginning with the suggestion that consumers fill half their plate with fruits and vegetables, the WebMD report explained.
